Lina and Xeno were sweating. They had really struggled on the last test. They had finished the test just an half an hour ago. The group of hopefuls stood before Natalie Graham with a mixture of nervousness excitement and more nervousness.
Ms. Graham eyed the group of teens before her. She didn't like to admit it but the way they looked at her was amusing. They seem to believe that she was evil. She couldn't help but chuckle as she never saw her self as a slave driver. She was just doing what was asked of her. Natalie left her thoughts to address them as she had received thier scores from the test.
"Kayden Lori and Lina welcome aboard the mission. Natalie then turned to Xeno. Looking at him with some unpleasantness because in her eyes be was a slacker. A T1 slacker but a slacker none the less.
"Xeno im sorry, but you wont be joining us on this trip as a resource hunter. "
Xeno and the others all looked at Ms.Graham in shock. Xeno couldn't believe he didn't make it. "Ms, Graham i think there is a mistake how could i not go."
Natalie sighed before continuing " If it was completely up to me you wouldn't, but since you officIally work for GCC and im just in charge of choosing the hunters for this mission. You may come on the mission in some other official capacity.
Xeno sighed in relief. He made it. Even if its not in the capacity that he first thought, at least he wasn't eliminated.
"You will barely receive any time on the planet, if at all in this case." continued Ms. Graham. You'll probably run logistics from the shuttle assisting those in charge of storing what the hunters bring back. As im not directly over this i cant tell you for sure. You'll find out tomorrow.
Xeno sighed and nodded at least he wasn't completely excluded, he thought before saying, "Yes ma'am thank you for training us. We will do our best to make you proud. Maybe,we will see you again one day after the mission."
Ms. Graham looked at him a moment then scoffed. " Unfortunately i wont be able to get rid of you all that easily. I've been assigned to go with you." 'im not paid enough for this she complained silently. She believed that she was being turned into a babysitter by the councilwoman. "We will leave The Ark tomorrow at 0600. The details of where to meet and the location of our transport will be sent to your links. We will see each other again in 1600hrs. Use this time to rest and prepare. Dismissed."
Ms. Graham didn't wait for them to leave first. She turned and left before they could process all the information that she had just said to them.
Lina was the first to speak. "Thanks Xeno if it wasn't for you i wouldn't have made it. She's really unfair. You were the one who helped me with shooting. If you didn't share the video none of us would have had an easy time.
Xeno shrugged his shoulders before saying "No problem, but you guys would have found it eventually. Im just glad these three days are over. Ima see you guys. I want to rest and sleep in my own bed.
Lina and Lori nodded in agreement ready to leave. kayden paused for a moment looking at the shooting range before deciding to stay behind for a bit.
"Ill see you guys ima keep practicing for a bit before i head back."
Xeno looked at him and said. "Workaholic."
Lina and Lori smiled then said in unison "Later" before turning and leaving. They at least wanted to rest and spend time with thier family before the mission started they would be gone for over two weeks when they left this weekend. It was best to spend time with thier parents. Thier mom was aloof but thier dad was no nonsense. if he felt like they were too excited about this trip and not thinking carefully about all the dangers. He wouldn't let them go even if they passed Ms.Grahams assessment. It was best to show they were sober minded and not just a bunch of kids running off to a dangerous planet. The best way would be to talk to thier parents about everything that was happening to reassure him, and that's what they planned to do within thier 16hrs.
Kayden headed to the shooting range while his friends had took off thier armor and stored thier gear. He had been alone for 15 minutes before his link rang. Seeing it was his mom he sighed knowing his training was over.
"Hey mom" he said helplessly knowing what was coming.
"If you know what im going to say then hurry up and do it" she smiled looking at him. His thoughts written all over his face.
"Can you give me an hour i just want to practice a bit more" he pleaded.
"Your sister is in the hospital,"she said. "Nothing happended to her. Its just her boyfriend had an accident and shes grieving."
"Grieving?He died?" Kayden asked surprised heading to the inventory room to take off his armor.
"Not yet. Its 50/50," she replied. "His suit leaked in space, He damaged his lungs and brain. With his financial situation its unlikely that he will ever be the same even if he survives."
Kayden had never known that his mom didn't like Haven's boyfriend. He didn't even know she had a boyfriend but the way his mom spoke he knew she was angry or didn't like the guy. He just knew her to well not to be able to tell that she didn't care if the guy lived or died. Which was scary. He had never seen this side of his mom before. Yes The outlaws that the coucil had sentensed and her attitude to those that lived on the outskirsts of old earth, but never with someone close. This was Havens boyfriend they were talking about. Someone important to his sister's life. While it made him feel like he didn't completely know his mom it also made him curious. 'Shouldn't mom have been sad that Haven ran the risk of losing some she cared about.' he thought.
"He's scum" said his mother reading his face.
Kayden was even more shocked his eyes widening. His mom only called outlaws T5's scum. Her calling him that meant that he had broken some kind of law. "What did he do?" Kayden asked.
"I'll tell you later. I want us all to be together when i break the news of what was found in his suit and hime. Im actually happy fate caused this to happen to him if not we would have never found out before it was too late."
Kayden didn't know what to say so he just nodded and said he would be home soon before hanging up. It didnt take long for Kayden to leave the GCC in The T1 zone of the Ark city. As he left the building he looked up at the steel sky 300 yards above him. Wondering what it would be like to see an actual sky. He waved down a transport and paid the for a ride home after putting in his address. The Ark really was a city. From end to end at any point was 4 miles give or take a few yards. They had made The Ark cylindrical in nature. The top layers of the ark was where the city was located. The 89 stories underneath the city held everything that kept the ark running. Every so often When traveling through the city. One would see a building going from the ground to the "sky". These buildings were part of the support structures for the "sky". To not waste space these towers were the home of the security forces of the ark. The decision was made that a majority of these towers would house The ASF and other Ark Government Agencies. Since one of these structures had to be placed around the city to support the massive ceiling every so often, this would ensure that there was easy access to the governing bodies of the ark to the people, and allow all the divisions of the ASF to police the people. In the center of the city the largest pillar was the Current Ark council Building. It wouldn't be that way for long however. The council were going to move to a new space while letting the ASF and other agencies take over thier current building. The ASF had to expand as the Arks population expanded, to keep everyone safe and in line. Also family of ASF officers needed to be housed. it was better to give all these structures to them and give the council a new building that was more space effective.
Kayden was thankful for all this because that's what gave him the opportunity that he had now.
When Kayden got Home Lillie was sitting in the living room doing home work.
"Hey," he said as he came over to give his little sister a hug.
"Stooooop. Your distracting me," she complained giving him a sour look.
Kayden hugged her tighter and said "Didnt you even miss your bro. Ive been in hell the last three days"
"Yes, I know i saw you suck at shooting on The Screen in moms office" she replied letting her self be hugged.
"eh, how would you know if i suck or not i got the highest..... i mean second highest score."
"Psshh she laughed before looking at him. "you sound like the boys in school who try to boast when all their scores are worse than mine."
"You shouldn't pick on those older than you. You know."
"Im sorry i wont pick on you anymore," she said with a smile.
Kayden knocked her in her head lightly before saying " I meant your schoolmates. Your 12 in specialization and that's 3 years ahead of schedule. Your definitely the youngest in your class.."
Lillie smiled smugly while shrugging "Oh, well is that my fault. I cant help that im a genius."
"Look who's boasting now, don't pick on them or you'll never make friends. Don't be like Hydra."
Lillie pouted before nodding. She didn't want to be like her sister. Who was extremely skilled at making others feel inferior. It was a side to her that no one liked.
"Wheres mom?" he asked deciding to let her do her homework.
"In her office with Dad. You should give em a minute it looks like they are having one of thier serious talks."
Kayden balked for a second, looked at lillie before shaking his head and heading to his moms office. When he got there the door opened to let him in. Since the incident of Lillie walking in on Mom and Dad during thier alone time, his Mom had set her link to alert her whenever anyone of her children got close.
" Hey, he said from the door. "Lillie says you guys are having one of your "serious talks" should i cone in?"
His mom didn't say anything so his Dad said "come in" When he got thier his mom was givivng his dad an ugly look before replying to Kayden. "That time was all his fault, Now my little one doesn't dare come over when we are together"
His dad sighed and changed the subject. " Did you hear about what happened yet?"
"Only the gist. Mom even said he was scum. So im curious what he did."
"Its not so much what he did but what he planned to do, she replied. Saying so she was going to share the details to Kayden's link when her link alerted her that Haven was home.
"Haven is home." she said.
Kayden nodded waiting for his mom to decide what to do. His dad had a pensive look on his face, like he was seriously contemplating something, but none of this truly mattered to Kayden. He would be gone by tommorow for two weeks. Kayden was just curious what Haven's boyfriend was planning, but it didn't look like he'd find out today based on how everything was playing out.
The group of three went to meet thier daughter and sister, in the living room with Lillie.
Dustin Butler looked at his daughters puffy eyes. He could see the worry written all over her face but it wasnt complete despair. So maybe the guy hadn't died yet. He didn't say anything and just came over and hugged her. He could feel her lean into his chest to cry.
"Dad," she sobbed. "Why did this happen its not fair. He just confessed that he loved me and this happened. I didn't get to tell him back... Now i might not get the chance to."
Dustin felt like something was caught in his throat. He was feeling a mixture of emotions. Angry because he had the same information his wife had and then some. He knew the reason they targeted his daughter was because of him and not his wife. Not everyone agreed that some of the weapon tech he designed should be privatized. That his hard work should belong to the ark government. If they were able to steal tech from him and even use it to attack the ark secretly. They would have a case to bring authority of the weapons system under the councils authority. Hindering his wife's attempt at the overseer position was just icing on the cake. He also felt guilty because he could have done more to prevent all this, but all he could do now was give his daughter a shoulder to lean on.
Veronica came up to her husband an daughter and joined the hug as she caressed her daughters head. She tried fix her daughters silver hair that was a shade darker than her own. It was a little disheveled from everything she's been through.
"Sweety im sorry this happened to you," she said coaxing her daughter. If she could have done it differently she would of waited till after thier date to handle the boy but in hind sight she had been a bit to hasty.
"I know your sad and worried about him but i have some thing to tell you. It's about him and once you know it might change the way you feel."
Haven lifted her head from her dad's embrace and gave her mom a confused look and sour feeling in the pit of her stomach "What?" she asked.
Veronica took her time as she sent information to everyone's link even lillie. "Sweety, he meant you no good." She said after giving her a minute to observe the evidence on her link. "He was only trying to get close to you to get at me. Im sorry. Hes scum. I wish this didn't happen to you but thank god he didn't get through with his plans or it could have been much worse.
Havens mind was in turmoil as she looked at what her mom sent her. Her eyes wide as she stared at the screen only visible to her.
'This is what he wanted to tell me.' she thought almost screaming in her mind.
Haven felt like her world was crashing. 'Was anything he said to me true.'
Her heart was hurting as she looked at every piece of evidence her mom gave. Then her link beeped as her dad also sent her information. His info was the same as moms accpet it went into details how Jason was blackmailed into doing what he did. Haven gasped as she saw the blackmail they held over him with his family. It made her feel better a little maybe he did really have feelings for her maybe he was forced into all of this. He had tried to come clean maybe he didn't want to hurt her like he promised. "I Love you. That's why i want to come clean" Jason's in her head. As she remembered what he said making her anger hurt and abated a bit leaving only the worry for his safety. She was still upset by what she was looking at but it was a lot more palpable with the information her dad gave.
Then she started to see rhe discrepancy moms info said she was the target dads was that she wasn't the main objective he was. That made her remember all the anti espionage teaching he had given her.
Then a thought hit her that made her feel sick to her stomach. 'Her parents must have known' they knew and didn't tell her they knew and didn't warn her. 'They knew' she thought over and over as she looked at the information that they couldn't possibly have gathered in between last night and now. Her mind wandered to how the maintenance worker for the space walker suit said it was a freak accident because the diagnostic machine gave his suit the clearance. All these thoughts rattled in her head till the last thought caused her knees to buckle.
'Did they do this to him'
Haven fell only to be caught by her father. She looked at him and asked in a shaky voice. "How long did you know?"
Dustin sighed. He looked at his daughter. "A week or so."
"Was it.... Did you... do this to him"
"No", Her dad replied firmly. "I was deciding how to tell you, but i cant say that removing him wasn't on the table. The only thing that stopped me was he wasn't the root. I wanted the one responsible for the plan. this kid is a victim too.
Haven gave a sigh of relief before another voice came sending a chill down her spine.
"I did it, Said Veronica helping her daughter up from her fathers arms to the couch. She sat her down wiping the tears from her eyes giving her a serious look. "I know this sounds harsh but. I don't care if hes a victim. He could have reported this to one of us or even you if he was really unwilling. He didn't so he agreed to all this. All that matters to me is no one hurts you. I care about you Ill hurt others for you even if it makes me a villain. I love you too much to.....
"He tried to tell me" Haven whispered cutting her off.
"What? " her mom said confused
He....She shuttered. "He tried to to tell me before.... before you.... You.... YOU TRIED TO KILL HIM"